Hair trimmer



HAIR TRIMMER Filed Dec. 22, 1952 INVENTOR LEON M. c1155 ATTDRNEY.

itedStates 2,778,104 HAIR TRIMMER Leon M. 'Coles, Port Chester, N. Y. Application December 22, 1952, Serial No. 327,270 2 Claims. (Cl. 3Q 30) An object of the invention is to provide a hair trimmer adapted for use in trimming the hair close on some portions of the head, and for trimming the hair longer at other portions of the head at the option of the user. To this end, it is proposed to provide an improved guard means having comb-like portions in relation to the respective blade edges, these comb-like portions each having a protecting shoulder disposed in opposed relation to the adjacentblade edge, the shoulder in relation to one edge being at a greater height than the shoulderin relation A further object is to provide an improved means for locking the gate-like part in either of its positions, and which may be operated simply by first loosening the handle of the trimmer and then tightening the handle, the gate-like part being movable in the loosened position of the handle and being locked in either of its positions upon tightening of the handle.

A further object is to provide a hair trimmer including tion, and a relatively wide pocket portion in relation to the blade edge in which the hair is effectively held during the cutting operation.

A further object is to provide adjustment means whereby the blade may be longitudinally adjusted to present new cutting edge portions to the hair-receiving openings Other objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with theaccompanying drawing wherein a satisfactory embodiment of the invention is shown. However, it is to be understood that the invention the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

- In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a topplan view of the hair trimmer of the invention, showing the gate-likepart ofthe guard in its operative relation withone blade edge;

; Fig. 2 is a top plan, view showing .the gate-like part :ma edis t f r lati w h h lade-edg atent Fig. 3 is atop plan view of the guard member detached from the trimmer;

Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view of the guard member; Fig. 5 is an end elevation of the hair trimmer, as seen in Fig. 1, on an enlarged scale; v

Fig. 6 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken along the line 6 6 of Fig.1;

I Fig. 7 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken along theline7-7ofFig.2; 4

Fig. 8 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken along the line 8' 8 of Figjljand' I I Fig. 9 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken along the line -9 of Fig. l.

Referring to the drawing, the hair trimmer, according to the illustrated exemplary embodimentof the invention shown therein, comprises a cap member 10' transversely the curvature of the inner surface ll, so that in cross section the cap tapers toward its longitudinal edges. The cap member is provided can trally with a threadedstud l l, which extends vertically 18 at the upper end of a handle member 19, the guard plate member 20, hereinafter more'fully describedfbeing blade being similar to this operation in a conventional safety razor of the sci-called Gillette type. It is pointd out that the cap member, the blade member and the handle member are similar to these parts of the'conv entional safety razor, the present improvements consisting in the ment with these parts.

The guard plate member 20, shown in detail in Figs. 3

and 4, is 'preferablyfonned of sheet metal'cut and'pr'essed to shape, although it will be understood that 'it may be ing a centrally disposed longitudinal slot opening 26 through which the threaded stud 14 of the cap member is engaged. i

In longitudinal alignment at each side of the platform portion 25 thereare. provided longitudinal slot openings 27-727 engaged by the pilot studs 16-46 of the cap avrsnoe members for the purpose of bringing new portions of the blade edges into cutting relation with the openings of the comb-like marginal edge portions of the guard member, as will presently more fully appear. In the positions of adjustment one or the other end of the guardrnernber is flush with an end of the blade when the opposite end of the guard member is outwardly spaced from the end of the blade a distance corresponding to the adjustment movement.

The platform portion 25 is adapted to be firmly engaged at its fiat under surface with the flat upper end of the handle member in either position of longitudinal adjustment of the guard member. At the side of the platform portion 25, toward the gate part of the guard member, there is provided a recess portion 28 for cooperation with a locking part of the gate part, as will presently more fully appear.

The gate part 22 of the guard member is hingedly connected to the body part 21, and for this purpose is provided at each of its ends with an inclined leg portion 29 having an inwardly extending pivot pin portion 39 which, when the gate part is in aligned flush relation with the body part, is disposed at the underside of the guard member where it is pivotally engaged in a curled pivot bearing portion 31 provided upon the body part 21. Centrally between the leg portions 29 the gate member is provided with an inclined extension 32 provided at its end with an angularly bent tongue 33 which has the radius of its bend coaxially in line with the pivot axis of the gate part. In the normal operative position, as shown in Figs. l, and 6, the tongue 33 is in lateral line with the recess 28 and is vertically disposed with its inner vertical surface 34 in abutting relation with the vertical side of the upper end of the handle member 19 when the latter is screwed into tightened relation against the platform portion 25.

At the respective ends of the gate portion there are provided offset lug extensions 35-65 which extend over and engage with the under surface of the end portions h -24 of the guard member to thus limit the position of the gate part so that it is in rigid flush relation with the body part 21.

By unscrewing the handle member so that it moves downwardly upon the threaded stud 14 to a point where its upper end is below the end of the tongue 33, the gate part will, by its own weight, swing downwardly to the position asshown in Figs. 2 and 7, with the tongue 33 swinging into the recess 28 with its outer surface 36 substantially flush with the flat under surface of the platform portion 25. Thereupon the handleportion is tightened against the platform portion and, through engagement with the surface 36 of the tongue 33, the gate part is locked in its inoperative position. To restore the gate part to its operative position, it is only necessary to unscrew the handle member to the point where the tongue 33 will swing clear of it, whereupon the gate part may be swung to the position shown in Fig. 6, where it is locked in place upon tightening of the handle member against the platform portion.

Along its opposite longitudinal edges the guard member 20 is provided with rows of teeth 37, the teeth of one row extending along the continuous edge portion of the body part 21, and the teeth of the other row extending along the outeredge of the gate part 22 and along the outer edges of the end portions 24-24 of the body part. Thus, when the gate part is in its inoperative or open position, as shown in Figs. 2 and 7, the teeth carried by the gate part are out of relation with the edge of the blade, while the teeth carried by the end portions 24 project with respect to the end portions of the edge of the blade as safety guides for spacing the blade edge from the scalp and for setting the trimmer in the hair as it is being operated with the gate part in inoperative position, it being pointed out that the space between the two teeth provided upon each of the end portions 24 serves to receive strands of hair and thus guide the operation of the trimmer as the hair between the guiding teeth is cut by the blade edge. These end teeth also act as gauges to determine the length and/ or depth of cut depending upon the angle at which the trimmer is tilted.

Each of the teeth has a pointed outer end portion, a widened parallel sided intermediate portion and a contracted inner neck portion, the neck portions being formed by the sides of circular holes 38 at each side of the teeth, the parallel sided intermediate portions being formed by narrow slots 39 extending outwardly from the holes 38, and the pointed outer ends being formed by outwardly divergent entrance spaces 40 extending from the slots 39. The holes 38 are so disposed that the edge of the blade extends substantially across. the diametric center line of the holes, and the holes are longitudinally spaced apart a distance equal to their diameters, so that the inner neck portion of the teeth corresponds in width to the diameters of the holes. Thus, the alternate portions of the blade edge extending across the holes represents substantially one-half the length of the blade edge, while the alternate portions extending across the neck of the teeth represents the other half. Thus, after a period of use of the blade edge in one position of adjustment, new and sharp portions of the blade may be shifted into relation with the holes 38 by loosening the handle and shifting the guard member with respect to the blade, the cap member and the handle member.

This operation is effected by pushing inwardly upon the end of the guard member projected with respect to the end of the blade, as seen in Figs. 1 and 2, causing the pushed-in end of the guard member to come into flush relation with the end of the blade, and the other end of the guard member to move outwardly into spaced relation with the other end of the blade. This movement is predetermined by the length of the slot openings 26 and 27-?.7, so that the shifting of the guard member is equal to the diameters of the holes 38 and the width of the neck portions of the teeth.

Each row of teeth is upwardly offset outwardly of the edge of the blade to provide a shoulder 41 outwardly of and opposite to the edge of the blade. The amount of the offset determines the closeness of the cut as the hair trimmer is moved against the scalp, and to the end of providing for selective operation of the hair trimmer to produce both coarse and fine cuts, the otfset along one edge of the guard member is substantially higher than the offset at the other side, the high ofiset teeth being shown along the continuous s'de edge portion of the body part of the guard member, while the low offset teeth are provided along the opposite edge and the gate part. Thus, three cutting conditions are provided, namely, the coarse cut at one side, the finer cut at the other side, and the cut by the exposed blade when the gate part is in its operative position.

The tooth shape and the shape of the spaces between the teeth is important in the operation of the trimmer,

' it being pointed out that the divergent entrance portions 40 of the spaces serve to gather strands of hair between them and guide them into the narrow intermediate portions 39, from which they move into the hole portions 38 where they tend to spread out and are efiectually-retained in cutting relation with the blade edge.

What is claimed is:

1. In a hair trimmer, a cap member having parallel longitudinal edges, a handle member adjustably connected to said cap member, and a guard member disposed between said cap member and said handle member adapted through adjustment of said handle member to clamp a conventional double-edged razor blade between itself and said cap member with the cutting edges of said blade projecting outwardly beyond the longitudinal edge of said cap member, said guard member having parallel longitudinal marginal edge portions projecting outwardly beyond the longitudinal edges of said blade, and said guard member including a body part and a movable part 6 carried by said body part and constituting at least a secmarginal edge portions projecting outwardly beyond the tion of one longitudinal marginal edge portion of said longitudinal edges of said blade, said rows of teeth each guard member, said movable part being relatively movhaving a shoulder laterally opposed to an edge of said able between an operative position contiguous to one blade, the shoulder of 0116 TOW being higher thall the blade edge and an inoperative position removed from 5 shou der of the Other rOW. said one blade edge, and having locking means respectively engageable by a part of said handle member through References Cited 111 the file of thls Patent adjustment of said handle to retain said movable part UNITED STATES PATENTS in its respective operative and inoperative positions,

2. In a hair trimmer, a cap member having parallel 10 5;; longitudinal edges, a handle member adjustably con- 2 6 Se 1932 nected to said cap member, and a guard member dis- 2170215 Rand 1 g. 939 posed between said cap member and said handle member 2 612 684 Mansfield Oct 7 1952 adapted through clamping adjustment of said handle member to clamp a conventional double-edged razor 15 FOREIGN PATENTS blade between itself and said cap member with the cut- 1 7 7 Gmat Britain of 1847 ting edges of said blade projecting outwardly beyond the 36,250 A i 10 1921 longitudinal edge of said cap member, said guard mem- 120,399 Great Britain M 1919 her having parallel rows of teeth along its longitudinal 132,086 Great Britain Sept. 11, 1919 

